Internal-combustion engine



E. T. KERSHAW. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE- APPLICATION FILED} MAY 20. 1919.

1,394,094, Patented Oct. 18, 192 1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- E T. KERSHAW' INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1919- PATENT OFFICE.

'EDWIN '1. KERSHAW, 01? DENVER, COLORADO.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed May 20, 1919. Serial No. 298,402.

' ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art. to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to the two-stroke cycle type of engine.

The present invention has direct relation to that type of two-stroke cycle internal combustion engines in which means are employed to form, independently of the crank case, a preliminary compression space or chamber from which the compressed fresh fuel charges are led or directed into the usual combustion chamber of the engine.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide for the efficient and maximum introduction of fresh fuel charges into the preliminary compression space. A further object of the invention is to improve this type of engine so as to eliminate the use of the crank case as a compression space and therefore overcome the requirement for packing the sections of the crank case as is usually necessary in order to hold the compressed fresh charges. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, practicable, substantial, efiicient and durable means, capable of being readily arranged within a hollow piston in the engine cylinder with the dual objects of forming with the piston a preliminary compression chamber and also for admitting to this compression chamber successive charges of fresh gaseous fuel.

ith these and other objects in view as will become manifest to those versed in the art from the following disclosures, the invention consists of the construction, the combination, and in details and arrangements of the parts as more particularly described in the following specification relative to the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical, central section through a cylinder and the piston thereof in a plane parallel to the axis of the motor shaft,

Fig. 2 is a vertical, central section through the engine organization in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line 3-3 of Fig. I

While I have shown the invention in the present case as embodied in an engine of only one cylinder and its piston, it is obvious that multiple units may be employed and further that various other modifications, alterations and changes within the spirit of the lnvention may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim.

An engine is illustrated as including a suit able casing or cylinder 2 which is provided with means constituting a by-pass indicated at 3 having a portion registerable with an outlet port 3 formed in the wall of a hollow piston 5 shown as provided with a removable head 5 which is upwardly bulged or deflected to form a deflector for incoming charges of fresh fuel leaving the by-pass 8 at the port 3 'thereof. As is common to this type of engine, suitable exhaust means, as the outlet port 6, are provided, ports 6 and 3 being uncovered by the head of the piston when the latter is in its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1 at which time a compressed charge of gaseous fuel is emitted under high pressure through the port 3* from a preliminary compression space 4 which is formed between the head 5 and an abutment or head member 8.

The abutment or head 8 is shown as provided with a downwardly extending sup port 9 forming a pipe or passage which is provided at its lower end with any suitable means for fastening it to or mounting it upon a stationary portion as for instance the engine casing. This hollow or tubular support not only serves the purpose of a mounting for the fixed abutment head 8 but is also utilized as a means for conveying gaseous fuel from a suitable source which is connected thereto as by the outwardly extended portion 10 at the lower end of the support 9. In certain instances, according to the construction of the lower end of the piston 5, its cylindrical wall may be cut away as at 11 to form a clearance for the outwardly extending portion 10 of the support in the event that in the organization the lower end of the piston 5 would have to pass a contiguous portion of the support 9 1 H As the piston 5 moves upwardly the head 5 thereof moves away from the head 8, the tendency to create a vacuum in the space 4 resulting in the opening of a puppet valve 12 mounted upon and opening upwardly from the head 8 thus admitting a supply of fuel from the source, through hollow support 9 to space 4; the valve being rovided with a light return or re-seating spring 13 of just sufficient strength to cause the valve to seat as soon as the pressure of the incoming fuel thereon is overcome but not before an ample and suflicient charge of fuel has been drawn into the preliminary compression space or chamber 4:- It will be understood, of course, that as the piston 5 moves upwardly its port 3 outs ofi' the flow of fuel through the by-pass 3 and on the downward movement of the piston the compression charge is compressed in the space between the heads 5 -8 and when the port 8 again registers with th inlet of the bypass 3 the compressed fuel may be expelled rapidly at considerable pressure into the combustion chamber in an ample and sufficient quantity.

From the above it will be seen that by a proper and easily determined regulation of the valve spring and proper proportioning of the port area and the volume of the preliminary compression space 4, the valve 12 combustible fuel into the preliminary com- 7 pression space, this construction may be as readily used with heavy fuels where the fuel 7 is injected into compressed air in the combustion' chamber, the air alone (instead of the combustible mixture) being subjected to preliminary compression.

What I claim is: V

In an internal combustion engine having a sliding piston with an internal compression-chamber, the combination of a head for said compression chamber having an orifice therethrough, valve means mounted in said orifice and a hollow bracket member having a flanged open end conforming to'said orifice adapted to seat under the same to support the head, said hollow bracket constituting a conduit to supply fuel to the said compression chamber. r

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

7 EDl/VIN T. KERSHAW. 

